The Signal March April 2017

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2 American Traffic Safety Services Association
ATSSA’S 47TH ANNUAL
CONVENTION & TRAFFIC EXPO
ATSSA Chair Debra Ricker shares association’s 2016
achievements with ATSSA members and host Forrest Sawyer
Foundation President Tom Wood provides highlights of The Foundation’s record setting year
By James S. Baron
Veteran television reporter Forrest Sawyer was the host of the
Opening General Session for ATSSA’s 47th Annual Convention and
Traffic Expo in Phoenix, Arizona on Feb. 12. This event gave
ATSSA Chair Debra Ricker a center-stage opportunity to share the
many accomplishments achieved by the association during the
previous year to over 750 attendees at the Sunday morning breakfast
session.
During the two-hour session, ATSSA Chair Ricker also shared with
the audience news on The Foundation, of which ATSSA is a sponsor.
Sawyer interviewed Foundation President Tom Wood and family
members of a fallen roadway worker.
The in-depth interviews highlighted both ATSSA and The
Foundation’s many achievements during the 2016 calendar year, as
well as several upcoming ATSSA events, including the 2017 ATSSA
Leadership Program (April 30–May 2), ATSSA’s Legislative
Briefings and Fly-In in Washington, D.C. (May 3–4), and ATSSA’s
Midyear Meeting (Aug. 23–25) in Louisville, Ky.
ATSSA leaders in roadway safety innovation
ATSSA member innovation and technology were front and center for
the majority of the discussion between Sawyer and Ricker, that
began with a discussion on ATSSA’s new ”
website, as well as the many other accomplishments achieved within
the Innovation Council, the Circle of Innovation workshop, and how
topics from that popular workshop benefit ATSSA members over
time as they become invaluable case study booklets which are
developed specifically for ATSSA members to advance in their
businesses.
In 2016, that council also developed the new criteria that was used in
selecting the three 2017 ATSSA Innovation Award winners. The new
criteria for the awards includes innovation, lifesaving qualities,
design, and degree of need in the field.
During the interview, Ricker told the audience that ATSSA’s position
statement on connected and automated vehicles was recently
submitted to NHTSA for their automated vehicle policy guidelines
Members of ATSSA’s Innovation Council, under the leadership of Chair Scott
Covington, American Signal Company, discuss an aspect of the council’s 2017
work plan during their Feb. 11 meeting.
Dr. Paul Carlson, senior research engineer at Texas A & M Transportation Institute
(with microphone), discussed an issue involving autonomous vehicles during
ATSSA’s eighth annual Circle of Innovation workshop on Feb. 13.